Top 5 Misunderstood Things About Home Insurance

May 16
17:42

2018

Anas Jafri

Anas Jafri

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Many folks are disappointed, at some point during their policy term, with what they gain from their insurance policy. Much of the annoyance can be attributed to simple misunderstandings about the way that home insurance works. Many commonly held beliefs about home insurance are in fact myths that need to be clarified.

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Why don’t Insurers clear these misconceptions? Well,Top 5 Misunderstood Things About Home Insurance Articles simply because not many have actually asked them about it.

Though ignorance is bliss, we must contend that, knowledge is power. So, let’s burst a few of these insurance myth-bubbles.

1. A claim will give me more than my property was worth after an unforeseen circumstance:
Let’s say you lost your sofa set in an accidental fire. Your insurance will only give you a portion of what your furniture is worth today, since insurance is meant to protect or act as a security against mishap. Hence, gaining from an insurance claim is quite an impossible occurrence.

2. My premiums are safely put away until I need to make a claim:
Insurance companies do not operate as banks, where money is kept aside in individual accounts. Rather, insurance works on the principle of risk pooling. In which case, your premiums actually go into a common pool of money, from which claims of any of the policy holders will be withdrawn. The concept of risk pooling explains why insurers charge more in a storm zone or an accident prone zone, than in a relatively safe (little or no reports of any kind of mishap) area.

3. I have been with my insurer for over two decades; my policy will never be subject to non-renewal.
Insurance is nothing like the marketing idea of a retailer, where loyal customers are highly valued. Insurance companies are always wary of customers who make many small claims or one large comprehensive claim. Since the customer’s risk becomes the insurer’s own risk (since their money pool is disturbed); insurers often do not renew policies that they perceive as being high risk to cover. This is also why high risk areas have higher insurance premiums than low risk areas.

4. My Home Insurance Will Cover the Market Value of My Property:
This isn't true. A home insurance does not typically include the market value of the house. Rather, it will offer coverage only for the costs of replacement or rebuilding. For example, if a severe damage is caused due to fire, the insurance policy will cover the expenses needed to rebuild the house to its original form. This value of rebuilding will be lesser than the market cost of your property because it excludes the cost of land on which the house is built.

5. Regular payments imply that my premium will not be increased after I make a claim:
Although regular payments are a necessity, they do not have any bearing on increases in your premium. Insurers increase premium rates only when risk increases or has been perceived to have increased. When you make a claim, you have increased your risk status, and hence your premium will also be increased.